SMTP(8) SMTP(8)
NAME
smtp - Postfix SMTP+LMTP client
SYNOPSIS
smtp [generic Postfix daemon options]
DESCRIPTION
The Postfix SMTP+LMTP client implements the SMTP and LMTP
mail delivery protocols. It processes message delivery
requests from the queue manager. Each request specifies a
queue file, a sender address, a domain or host to deliver
to, and recipient information. This program expects to be
run from the master(8) process manager.
The SMTP+LMTP client updates the queue file and marks
recipients as finished, or it informs the queue manager
that delivery should be tried again at a later time.
Delivery status reports are sent to the bounce(8),
defer(8) or trace(8) daemon as appropriate.
The SMTP+LMTP client looks up a list of mail exchanger
addresses for the destination host, sorts the list by
preference, and connects to each listed address until it
finds a server that responds.
When a server is not reachable, or when mail delivery
fails due to a recoverable error condition, the SMTP+LMTP
client will try to deliver the mail to an alternate host.
After a successful mail transaction, a connection may be
saved to the scache(8) connection cache server, so that it
may be used by any SMTP+LMTP client for a subsequent
transaction.
By default, connection caching is enabled temporarily for
destinations that have a high volume of mail in the active
queue. Session caching can be enabled permanently for spe-
cific destinations.
SMTP DESTINATION SYNTAX
SMTP destinations have the following form:
domainname
domainname:port
Look up the mail exchangers for the specified
domain, and connect to the specified port (default:
smtp).
[hostname]
[hostname]:port
Look up the address(es) of the specified host, and
connect to the specified port (default: smtp).
[address]
[address]:port
Connect to the host at the specified address, and
connect to the specified port (default: smtp). An
IPv6 address must be formatted as [ipv6:address].
LMTP DESTINATION SYNTAX
LMTP destinations have the following form:
unix:pathname
Connect to the local UNIX-domain server that is
bound to the specified pathname. If the process
runs chrooted, an absolute pathname is interpreted
relative to the Postfix queue directory.
inet:hostname
inet:hostname:port
inet:[address]
inet:[address]:port
Connect to the specified TCP port on the specified
local or remote host. If no port is specified, con-
nect to the port defined as lmtp in services(4).
If no such service is found, the lmtp_tcp_port con-
figuration parameter (default value of 24) will be
used. An IPv6 address must be formatted as
[ipv6:address].
SECURITY
The SMTP+LMTP client is moderately security-sensitive. It
talks to SMTP or LMTP servers and to DNS servers on the
network. The SMTP+LMTP client can be run chrooted at fixed
low privilege.
STANDARDS
RFC 821 (SMTP protocol)
RFC 822 (ARPA Internet Text Messages)
RFC 1651 (SMTP service extensions)
RFC 1652 (8bit-MIME transport)
RFC 1870 (Message Size Declaration)
RFC 2033 (LMTP protocol)
RFC 2034 (SMTP Enhanced Error Codes)
RFC 2045 (MIME: Format of Internet Message Bodies)
RFC 2046 (MIME: Media Types)
RFC 2554 (AUTH command)
RFC 2821 (SMTP protocol)
RFC 2920 (SMTP Pipelining)
RFC 3207 (STARTTLS command)
RFC 3461 (SMTP DSN Extension)
RFC 3463 (Enhanced Status Codes)
DIAGNOSTICS
Problems and transactions are logged to syslogd(8). Cor-
rupted message files are marked so that the queue manager
can move them to the corrupt queue for further inspection.
Depending on the setting of the notify_classes parameter,
the postmaster is notified of bounces, protocol problems,
and of other trouble.
BUGS
SMTP and LMTP connection caching does not work with TLS.
The necessary support for TLS object passivation and re-
activation does not exist without closing the session,
which defeats the purpose.
SMTP and LMTP connection caching assumes that SASL creden-
tials are valid for all destinations that map onto the
same IP address and TCP port.
CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS
Before Postfix version 2.3, the LMTP client is a separate
program that implements only a subset of the functionality
available with SMTP: there is no support for TLS, and con-
nections are cached in-process, making it ineffective when
the client is used for multiple domains.
Most smtp_xxx configuration parameters have an lmtp_xxx
"ghost" parameter for the equivalent LMTP feature. This
document describes only those LMTP-related parameters that
aren't simply "ghost" parameters.
Changes to main.cf are picked up automatically, as smtp(8)
processes run for only a limited amount of time. Use the
command "postfix reload" to speed up a change.
The text below provides only a parameter summary. See
postconf(5) for more details including examples.
COMPATIBILITY CONTROLS
ignore_mx_lookup_error (no)
Ignore DNS MX lookups that produce no response.
smtp_always_send_ehlo (yes)
Always send EHLO at the start of an SMTP session.
smtp_never_send_ehlo (no)
Never send EHLO at the start of an SMTP session.
smtp_defer_if_no_mx_address_found (no)
Defer mail delivery when no MX record resolves to
an IP address.
smtp_line_length_limit (990)
The maximal length of message header and body lines
that Postfix will send via SMTP.
smtp_pix_workaround_delay_time (10s)
How long the Postfix SMTP client pauses before
sending ".<CR><LF>" in order to work around the PIX
firewall "<CR><LF>.<CR><LF>" bug.
smtp_pix_workaround_threshold_time (500s)
How long a message must be queued before the PIX
firewall "<CR><LF>.<CR><LF>" bug workaround is
turned on for delivery through firewalls with "smtp
fixup" mode turned on.
smtp_quote_rfc821_envelope (yes)
Quote addresses in SMTP MAIL FROM and RCPT TO com-
mands as required by RFC 821.
smtp_skip_5xx_greeting (yes)
Skip SMTP servers that greet with a 5XX status code
(go away, do not try again later).
smtp_skip_quit_response (yes)
Do not wait for the response to the SMTP QUIT com-
mand.
Available in Postfix version 2.0 and earlier:
smtp_skip_4xx_greeting (yes)
Skip SMTP servers that greet with a 4XX status code
(go away, try again later).
Available in Postfix version 2.2 and later:
smtp_discard_ehlo_keyword_address_maps (empty)
Lookup tables, indexed by the remote SMTP server
address, with case insensitive lists of EHLO key-
words (pipelining, starttls, auth, etc.) that the
Postfix SMTP client will ignore in the EHLO
response from a remote SMTP server.
smtp_discard_ehlo_keywords (empty)
A case insensitive list of EHLO keywords (pipelin-
ing, starttls, auth, etc.) that the Postfix SMTP
client will ignore in the EHLO response from a
remote SMTP server.
smtp_generic_maps (empty)
Optional lookup tables that perform address rewrit-
ing in the SMTP client, typically to transform a
locally valid address into a globally valid address
when sending mail across the Internet.
Available in Postfix version 2.2.9 and later:
smtp_cname_overrides_servername (version dependent)
Allow DNS CNAME records to override the servername
that the Postfix SMTP client uses for logging, SASL
password lookup, TLS policy decisions, or TLS cer-
tificate verification.
Available in Postfix version 2.3 and later:
lmtp_discard_lhlo_keyword_address_maps (empty)
Lookup tables, indexed by the remote LMTP server
address, with case insensitive lists of LHLO key-
words (pipelining, starttls, auth, etc.) that the
LMTP client will ignore in the LHLO response from a
remote LMTP server.
lmtp_discard_lhlo_keywords ($myhostname)
A case insensitive list of LHLO keywords (pipelin-
ing, starttls, auth, etc.) that the LMTP client
will ignore in the LHLO response from a remote LMTP
server.
MIME PROCESSING CONTROLS
Available in Postfix version 2.0 and later:
disable_mime_output_conversion (no)
Disable the conversion of 8BITMIME format to 7BIT
format.
mime_boundary_length_limit (2048)
The maximal length of MIME multipart boundary
strings.
mime_nesting_limit (100)
The maximal recursion level that the MIME processor
will handle.
EXTERNAL CONTENT INSPECTION CONTROLS
Available in Postfix version 2.1 and later:
smtp_send_xforward_command (no)
Send the non-standard XFORWARD command when the
Postfix SMTP server EHLO response announces XFOR-
WARD support.
SASL AUTHENTICATION CONTROLS
smtp_sasl_auth_enable (no)
Enable SASL authentication in the Postfix SMTP
client.
smtp_sasl_password_maps (empty)
Optional SMTP client lookup tables with one user-
name:password entry per remote hostname or domain,
or sender address when sender-dependent authentica-
tion is enabled.
smtp_sasl_security_options (noplaintext, noanonymous)
SASL security options; as of Postfix 2.3 the list
of available features depends on the SASL client
implementation that is selected with
smtp_sasl_type.
Available in Postfix version 2.2 and later:
smtp_sasl_mechanism_filter (empty)
If non-empty, a Postfix SMTP client filter for the
remote SMTP server's list of offered SASL mecha-
nisms.
Available in Postfix version 2.3 and later:
smtp_sender_dependent_authentication (no)
Enable sender-dependent authentication in the Post-
fix SMTP client; this is available only with SASL
authentication, and disables SMTP connection
caching to ensure that mail from different senders
will use the appropriate credentials.
smtp_sasl_path (empty)
Implementation-specific information that is passed
through to the SASL plug-in implementation that is
selected with smtp_sasl_type.
smtp_sasl_type (cyrus)
The SASL plug-in type that the Postfix SMTP client
should use for authentication.
STARTTLS SUPPORT CONTROLS
Detailed information about STARTTLS configuration may be
found in the TLS_README document.
smtp_tls_security_level (empty)
The default SMTP TLS security level for the Postfix
SMTP client; when a non-empty value is specified,
this overrides the obsolete parameters
smtp_use_tls, smtp_enforce_tls, and
smtp_tls_enforce_peername.
smtp_sasl_tls_security_options ($smtp_sasl_secu-
rity_options)
The SASL authentication security options that the
Postfix SMTP client uses for TLS encrypted SMTP
sessions.
smtp_starttls_timeout (300s)
Time limit for Postfix SMTP client write and read
operations during TLS startup and shutdown hand-
shake procedures.
smtp_tls_CAfile (empty)
The file with the certificate of the certification
authority (CA) that issued the Postfix SMTP client
certificate.
smtp_tls_CApath (empty)
Directory with PEM format certificate authority
certificates that the Postfix SMTP client uses to
verify a remote SMTP server certificate.
smtp_tls_cert_file (empty)
File with the Postfix SMTP client RSA certificate
in PEM format.
smtp_tls_mandatory_ciphers (medium)
The minimum TLS cipher grade that the Postfix SMTP
client will use with mandatory TLS encryption.
smtp_tls_exclude_ciphers (empty)
List of ciphers or cipher types to exclude from the
Postfix SMTP client cipher list at all TLS security
levels.
smtp_tls_mandatory_exclude_ciphers (empty)
Additional list of ciphers or cipher types to
exclude from the SMTP client cipher list at manda-
tory TLS security levels.
smtp_tls_dcert_file (empty)
File with the Postfix SMTP client DSA certificate
in PEM format.
smtp_tls_dkey_file ($smtp_tls_dcert_file)
File with the Postfix SMTP client DSA private key
in PEM format.
smtp_tls_key_file ($smtp_tls_cert_file)
File with the Postfix SMTP client RSA private key
in PEM format.
smtp_tls_loglevel (0)
Enable additional Postfix SMTP client logging of
TLS activity.
smtp_tls_note_starttls_offer (no)
Log the hostname of a remote SMTP server that
offers STARTTLS, when TLS is not already enabled
for that server.
smtp_tls_policy_maps (empty)
Optional lookup tables with the Postfix SMTP client
TLS security policy by next-hop destination; when a
non-empty value is specified, this overrides the
obsolete smtp_tls_per_site parameter.
smtp_tls_mandatory_protocols (SSLv3, TLSv1)
List of TLS protocols that the Postfix SMTP client
will use with mandatory TLS encryption.
smtp_tls_scert_verifydepth (5)
The verification depth for remote SMTP server cer-
tificates.
smtp_tls_secure_cert_match (nexthop, dot-nexthop)
The server certificate peername verification method
for the "secure" TLS security level.
smtp_tls_session_cache_database (empty)
Name of the file containing the optional Postfix
SMTP client TLS session cache.
smtp_tls_session_cache_timeout (3600s)
The expiration time of Postfix SMTP client TLS ses-
sion cache information.
smtp_tls_verify_cert_match (hostname)
The server certificate peername verification method
for the "verify" TLS security level.
tls_daemon_random_bytes (32)
The number of pseudo-random bytes that an smtp(8)
or smtpd(8) process requests from the tlsmgr(8)
server in order to seed its internal pseudo random
number generator (PRNG).
tls_high_cipherlist
(ALL:!EXPORT:!LOW:!MEDIUM:+RC4:@STRENGTH)
The OpenSSL cipherlist for "HIGH" grade ciphers.
tls_medium_cipherlist (ALL:!EXPORT:!LOW:+RC4:@STRENGTH)
The OpenSSL cipherlist for "MEDIUM" or higher grade
ciphers.
tls_low_cipherlist (ALL:!EXPORT:+RC4:@STRENGTH)
The OpenSSL cipherlist for "LOW" or higher grade
ciphers.
tls_export_cipherlist (ALL:+RC4:@STRENGTH)
The OpenSSL cipherlist for "EXPORT" or higher grade
ciphers.
tls_null_cipherlist (!aNULL:eNULL+kRSA)
The OpenSSL cipherlist for "NULL" grade ciphers
that provide authentication without encryption.
Available in Postfix version 2.4 and later:
smtp_sasl_tls_verified_security_options
($smtp_sasl_tls_security_options)
The SASL authentication security options that the
Postfix SMTP client uses for TLS encrypted SMTP
sessions with a verified server certificate.
OBSOLETE STARTTLS CONTROLS
The following configuration parameters exist for compati-
bility with Postfix versions before 2.3. Support for these
will be removed in a future release.
smtp_use_tls (no)
Opportunistic mode: use TLS when a remote SMTP
server announces STARTTLS support, otherwise send
the mail in the clear.
smtp_enforce_tls (no)
Enforcement mode: require that remote SMTP servers
use TLS encryption, and never send mail in the
clear.
smtp_tls_enforce_peername (yes)
With mandatory TLS encryption, require that the
remote SMTP server hostname matches the information
in the remote SMTP server certificate.
smtp_tls_per_site (empty)
Optional lookup tables with the Postfix SMTP client
TLS usage policy by next-hop destination and by
remote SMTP server hostname.
smtp_tls_cipherlist (empty)
Obsolete Postfix < 2.3 control for the Postfix SMTP
client TLS cipher list.
RESOURCE AND RATE CONTROLS
smtp_destination_concurrency_limit ($default_destina-
tion_concurrency_limit)
The maximal number of parallel deliveries to the
same destination via the smtp message delivery
transport.
smtp_destination_recipient_limit ($default_destina-
tion_recipient_limit)
The maximal number of recipients per delivery via
the smtp message delivery transport.
smtp_connect_timeout (30s)
The SMTP client time limit for completing a TCP
connection, or zero (use the operating system
built-in time limit).
smtp_helo_timeout (300s)
The SMTP client time limit for sending the HELO or
EHLO command, and for receiving the initial server
response.
lmtp_lhlo_timeout (300s)
The LMTP client time limit for sending the LHLO
command, and for receiving the initial server
response.
smtp_xforward_timeout (300s)
The SMTP client time limit for sending the XFORWARD
command, and for receiving the server response.
smtp_mail_timeout (300s)
The SMTP client time limit for sending the MAIL
FROM command, and for receiving the server
response.
smtp_rcpt_timeout (300s)
The SMTP client time limit for sending the SMTP
RCPT TO command, and for receiving the server
response.
smtp_data_init_timeout (120s)
The SMTP client time limit for sending the SMTP
DATA command, and for receiving the server
response.
smtp_data_xfer_timeout (180s)
The SMTP client time limit for sending the SMTP
message content.
smtp_data_done_timeout (600s)
The SMTP client time limit for sending the SMTP
".", and for receiving the server response.
smtp_quit_timeout (300s)
The SMTP client time limit for sending the QUIT
command, and for receiving the server response.
Available in Postfix version 2.1 and later:
smtp_mx_address_limit (5)
The maximal number of MX (mail exchanger) IP
addresses that can result from mail exchanger
lookups, or zero (no limit).
smtp_mx_session_limit (2)
The maximal number of SMTP sessions per delivery
request before giving up or delivering to a fall-
back relay host, or zero (no limit).
smtp_rset_timeout (20s)
The SMTP client time limit for sending the RSET
command, and for receiving the server response.
Available in Postfix version 2.2 and earlier:
lmtp_cache_connection (yes)
Keep Postfix LMTP client connections open for up to
$max_idle seconds.
Available in Postfix version 2.2 and later:
smtp_connection_cache_destinations (empty)
Permanently enable SMTP connection caching for the
specified destinations.
smtp_connection_cache_on_demand (yes)
Temporarily enable SMTP connection caching while a
destination has a high volume of mail in the active
queue.
smtp_connection_reuse_time_limit (300s)
The amount of time during which Postfix will use an
SMTP connection repeatedly.
smtp_connection_cache_time_limit (2s)
When SMTP connection caching is enabled, the amount
of time that an unused SMTP client socket is kept
open before it is closed.
Available in Postfix version 2.3 and later:
connection_cache_protocol_timeout (5s)
Time limit for connection cache connect, send or
receive operations.
TROUBLE SHOOTING CONTROLS
debug_peer_level (2)
The increment in verbose logging level when a
remote client or server matches a pattern in the
debug_peer_list parameter.
debug_peer_list (empty)
Optional list of remote client or server hostname
or network address patterns that cause the verbose
logging level to increase by the amount specified
in $debug_peer_level.
error_notice_recipient (postmaster)
The recipient of postmaster notifications about
mail delivery problems that are caused by policy,
resource, software or protocol errors.
internal_mail_filter_classes (empty)
What categories of Postfix-generated mail are sub-
ject to before-queue content inspection by
non_smtpd_milters, header_checks and body_checks.
notify_classes (resource, software)
The list of error classes that are reported to the
postmaster.
MISCELLANEOUS CONTROLS
best_mx_transport (empty)
Where the Postfix SMTP client should deliver mail
when it detects a "mail loops back to myself" error
condition.
config_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)
The default location of the Postfix main.cf and
master.cf configuration files.
daemon_timeout (18000s)
How much time a Postfix daemon process may take to
handle a request before it is terminated by a
built-in watchdog timer.
delay_logging_resolution_limit (2)
The maximal number of digits after the decimal
point when logging sub-second delay values.
disable_dns_lookups (no)
Disable DNS lookups in the Postfix SMTP and LMTP
clients.
inet_interfaces (all)
The network interface addresses that this mail sys-
tem receives mail on.
inet_protocols (ipv4)
The Internet protocols Postfix will attempt to use
when making or accepting connections.
ipc_timeout (3600s)
The time limit for sending or receiving information
over an internal communication channel.
lmtp_tcp_port (24)
The default TCP port that the Postfix LMTP client
connects to.
max_idle (100s)
The maximum amount of time that an idle Postfix
daemon process waits for the next service request
before exiting.
max_use (100)
The maximal number of connection requests before a
Postfix daemon process terminates.
process_id (read-only)
The process ID of a Postfix command or daemon
process.
process_name (read-only)
The process name of a Postfix command or daemon
process.
proxy_interfaces (empty)
The network interface addresses that this mail sys-
tem receives mail on by way of a proxy or network
address translation unit.
smtp_bind_address (empty)
An optional numerical network address that the
Postfix SMTP client should bind to when making an
IPv4 connection.
smtp_bind_address6 (empty)
An optional numerical network address that the
Postfix SMTP client should bind to when making an
IPv6 connection.
smtp_helo_name ($myhostname)
The hostname to send in the SMTP EHLO or HELO com-
mand.
lmtp_lhlo_name ($myhostname)
The hostname to send in the LMTP LHLO command.
smtp_host_lookup (dns)
What mechanisms when the Postfix SMTP client uses
to look up a host's IP address.
smtp_randomize_addresses (yes)
Randomize the order of equal-preference MX host
addresses.
syslog_facility (mail)
The syslog facility of Postfix logging.
syslog_name (postfix)
The mail system name that is prepended to the
process name in syslog records, so that "smtpd"
becomes, for example, "postfix/smtpd".
Available with Postfix 2.2 and earlier:
fallback_relay (empty)
Optional list of relay hosts for SMTP destinations
that can't be found or that are unreachable.
Available with Postfix 2.3 and later:
smtp_fallback_relay ($fallback_relay)
Optional list of relay hosts for SMTP destinations
that can't be found or that are unreachable.
SEE ALSO
qmgr(8), queue manager
bounce(8), delivery status reports
scache(8), connection cache server
postconf(5), configuration parameters
master(5), generic daemon options
master(8), process manager
tlsmgr(8), TLS session and PRNG management
syslogd(8), system logging
README FILES
SASL_README, Postfix SASL howto
TLS_README, Postfix STARTTLS howto
LICENSE
The Secure Mailer license must be distributed with this
software.
AUTHOR(S)
Wietse Venema
IBM T.J. Watson Research
P.O. Box 704
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA
Command pipelining in cooperation with:
Jon Ribbens
Oaktree Internet Solutions Ltd.,
Internet House,
Canal Basin,
Coventry,
CV1 4LY, United Kingdom.
SASL support originally by:
Till Franke
SuSE Rhein/Main AG
65760 Eschborn, Germany
Connection caching in cooperation with:
Victor Duchovni
Morgan Stanley
TLS support originally by:
Lutz Jaenicke
BTU Cottbus
Allgemeine Elektrotechnik
Universitaetsplatz 3-4
D-03044 Cottbus, Germany
SMTP(8)
